A City Called Christmas
Tomorrow will be Christmas in many parts of the world, but there is a city where it has been Christmas every day since 1599. This is Natal, my hometown, a name that means exactly “Christmas” in Portuguese.
It boasts beautiful beaches, dunes, wind, marvelous food, and a strategic position as one of the closest points in the Americas to Africa and Europe. The area was originally inhabited by the Potiguar indigenous people. Then, during the Age of Discovery, the Portuguese established a fort and a city. After some decades, it passed into Dutch hands before returning to the Portuguese until Brazil’s independence. During World War II, this was considered one of the four most strategic places in the world, hosting the largest airbase for the Allies. However, today is not a day to talk about wars.
Over time, this city has embraced diverse Christmas traditions. The end of the year is the height of Summer in South America, so forget winter clothes and snow; imagine beaches and parties with happy people. But some traditions remain. Natal has a Christmas tree made of light that is 20 meters taller than the Statue of Liberty in New York. It illuminates the night with dynamic, ever-changing colors in a city that has been Christmas every day for the last four centuries.